This Finnish doom band made some waves with their rough and gritty 2013 cassette demo, Shadows from the Cemetery. With Towards the Gates EP being Cemetery Fog’s first official release, time will tell if the band takes off. There is a huge difference between the demo and this release. Though Towards the Gates takes a cleaner approach with more funeral doom elements, it’s a hell of a lot faster than most funeral doom. I appreciate the progression and getting something new out of listening to the EP. Melodies are explored further, adding a different type of atmosphere. “Embrace of the Darkness” is an excellent song with elements of everything the band has done with the new flair. Cemetery Fog may not offer something entirely new, but the depth of the EP is well worth the visit to the Cemetery. –Bryer Wharton